BULLETIN the Canadian Catholic Historical Association
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BULLETIN The Canadian Catholic Historical Association Fall 2010 ISSN 1182-9214 Vol. XXIV, Number 2 The Value of Oral History for Religious CCHA Annual Conference 2010 Communities was discussed by a panel. Elizabeth Concordia University McGahan of the University of New Brunswick, Montreal Saint John introduced the panelists, Terence Fay SJ, Nichole Vonk, and Gwyn Griffith. Terence Fay of the University of St Michael’s College explained that contemporary scholars reveal little interest in The conference of the Canadian Catholic religious history and thus sources for religious Historical Association commenced at 9 AM on historians are in short supply. The motivation of Monday, 31 May at Concordia University as the new Canadians is very important for Canadian President Peter Meehan welcomed participants history, and historians must seek out their own to the conference and Terence Fay SJ asked God’s blessing for a productive conference. The first session on Culture, Region, and Religion was introduced by Margaret Sanche of St Thomas More College. Anne Gagnon from Thompson Rivers University illustrated how the creation of personal names is so important for families and reveals much about their religious customs, secular mores, and family traditions. Patricia Roy from University of Victoria explained the ambiguous relationship between Anglicans and East Asians in Canada from 1858 to 1949. While Anglicans advocated the acceptance of East Asians into Canadian society, at the same time Elizabeth McGahan introduced the panel of Terence Fay they believed in the Anglo-Celtic guidance of their SJ, Nichole Vonk, and Gwyn Griffith. integration. Peter Meehan of Seneca College reflected on the ecclesial career of the bright 37- data. United Church Archivist Nichole Vonk year old bishop of Saskatoon, Philip Pocock, who outlined the methodology of interviews with as a newly minted hierarch had to cope with the church congregants to build a data base of proposal of the CCF for social medicine in the volunteer women and men who have attended province. It was his responsibility to negotiate the and served the church over a long period. The continued existence of Catholic hospitals in the technology is now available to produce these face of this new provincial legislation. records. Gwyn Griffith of the Centre for Christian Studies related the significance of qualitative history for religious historians. To retell stories is 2 Fall 2010 ISSN 1182-9214 Vol. XXIV, Number 2 to help the participants and auditors understand The conference reconvened on Tuesday these experiences better, and then, the stories morning, 1 June at 9 AM. Mark McGowan of the have to corrected, edited, and written for University of St Michael’s College introduced the historical accuracy. well-known Catholic theologian, Gregory Baum who is professor emeritus from USMC in Toronto Brian Hogan introduced the third session and McGill University in Montreal. Baum spoke on on Writing, Serving, and Negotiating in a the Vatican II promises which had been so Religious Context. An exploration into seventeen hopeful which since then have been obscured by century religious mysticism was conducted by subsequent ecclesial retrenchment. Coleen Gray of McGill University. She explored the writings of Marie Barbier of the Congregation of Notre Dame which related the sister’s mystical awakening to the goodness of God in her love songs, the dark night of the soul, her breast cancer and its subsequent cure. Christine Lei of Wilfred Laurier University explored the Women’s Auxiliary in the activities of the Sisters of Social Service in Montreal from 1937 to 1974. The sisters ran a friendship house in Montreal which gave assistance to the Hungarian community. Communists tried to move on these newcomers and the friendship house was closed. Gabriela Kasprzak of the University of Toronto related how Distinguished scholar Gregory Baum delivers a talk on The the clergy had good credibility for working with Unfilled Promised of Vatican Two. the Polish community and were very effective. As well educated spokesmen for the Polish Father Edward Jackman OP led a community, they were concerned with the rise of noontime historical tour on the Metro to the Socialism. At a later date, Polish consuls arrived Jesuit Parish of the Gesù and to St Patrick Basilica and tried to co-opt the good will which the clergy (the Irish “cathedral” in Montreal). had earned in the Polish community. The final session on Stories and Miracles in The Annual Social and Dinner of the CCHA a joint meeting with the CHA was moderated by was held in the evening at the Irish Embassy Elizabeth Smyth. Allan Green of McGill University Restaurant near the university. On this occasion, expatiated on the teenage runaway, Pierre President-General Heidi MacDonald presented to Chaumonot, who became a Jesuit and Elizabeth Smyth the George Edward Clerk Award, volunteered for the Canadian mission. It was a the highest award of the CCHA for the writing, rags to riches story of a dishonest youth who after teaching, and dissemination of Canadian Catholic conversion gave himself to the service of the history and for service in the CCHA. Elizabeth Canadian mission. Jacalyn Duggin of Queen’s Smyth teaches at OISE/UT, has published University examined Canadian miracles over four numerous volumes on Catholic religious history, hundred years as recorded for the Vatican and has served on the Executive for many years. Archives in Rome. Although a non-believer, she found the recording of these miracles for the canonization protocol of the Holy See well prepared and scientifically sound. 3 Fall 2010 ISSN 1182-9214 Vol. XXIV, Number 2 The Conference concluded with the Annual General Meeting. The new CCHA officers were Notices announced: President Jacqueline Gresko, Vice- President Edward MacDonald, and Secretary Robert Dennis. The Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada has erected in May 2010 a plaque commemorating the national Historic significance of the founding of the Sisters of Charity of St Vincent De Paul in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Professor Heidi MacDonald who attended the unveiling ceremony recounted how the sisters set up a home for orphaned children in 1856 and ten years later volunteered to nurse cholera victims quarantined on McNabs Island in Halifax harbour. During these years the sisters became involved in five hospitals, one hundred elementary and high schools, and the establishment of Mount Saint Vincent University. The CCHA Executive, 2010-2012: Pres.-Gen. Peter Meehan, Peter McGuigan has two books underway, the V-P Edward MacDonald, President Jacqueline Gresko, first on Bishop J. T. McNally and St Mary’s Secretary Robert Dennis; Edward Jackman OP, Terence Fay SJ, and Editors Indre Cuplinskas and Elizabeth McGahan. University and the second on The South Street Poor House: A Century of Despair. He also edits a The Joint Conference of the CCHA and the monthly newsletter, Joe Howe News, a critique of ACHA was scheduled for next 14-16 April 2011 at social housing. the University of St Michael’s College at the th University of Toronto. Papers and sessions from Paul Laverdure has published the 30 Issue of members of both associations should be sent to Redemptorist North American Historical Bulletin in Professor Terence Fay, [email protected]. which an account of the lost manuscript of the The Sutton Place Hotel nearby the university has founder of the congregation, Alphonsus, is offered discount rates to members and the recorded and in the 31st in which the 2010 accession code for participants is TO110414J0. Redemptorist History Conference program is The next CCHA Annual Conference will be held at included. the University of New Brunswick at Fredericton at the end of May 2011, and Elizabeth McGahan Mark McGown received the Undergraduate will be the local representative. The registration Teaching Award from the University of Toronto fee for the annual conference was set at $20 and Student Union on 6 May 2010. the annual dinner at $50 in line with the rise in the cost of living. 4 Fall 2010 ISSN 1182-9214 Vol. XXIV, Number 2 hierarchy, Power outlines their important role in Book Review assuring the deacons’ future embrace across the nation. Entering their most activist phase during the latter 1960s, and enabled by the perfect Servants of All: A History of the Permanent storm caused by their release of the “Winnipeg Diaconate in the Archdiocese of Toronto, Statement” in 1969, the bishops’ early 1972-2007. Michael Power. Toronto: Novalis deliberations over establishing a permanent Publishing Inc., 2010. Pp. 256, Index, $24.95. diaconate for Canada flew below the radar of Catholic attention. This allowed them, assisted by Forty years after the establishment of the their periti, to construct a diaconal framework permanent diaconate in the archdiocese of that was unencumbered by many of the Toronto seems a perfect time to reflect on its challenges they faced while shepherding the history and its contributions, and I can think of no decrees of the Council in their home dioceses. better person for this task than Michael Power. He is a superb stylist, and he lays out his account Moving to the centre-point of his concern, in a clear and a lively narrative that pays particular Power follows the evolution of the permanent attention to the theological and organizational diaconate to its final realization in the archdiocese underpinning of the restored diaconate of Toronto. Critical here was the role of Philip internationally, nationally and locally. The result Pocock, Toronto’s seventh archbishop. A man of highlights the meticulous thought and ongoing temperate disposition, Pocock had established attention given to the deacons as they became himself as a leader in the lay retreat movement critical to the ministerial life of Canada’s largest and as a proponent of the theology of the “lay English-speaking archdiocese.